Twins send Willingham to DL, activate Hicks

The Minnesota Twins placed outfielder Josh Willingham on the 15-day disabled list with a knee injury on Tuesday, while reinstating rookie center fielder Aaron Hicks from the 15-day DL prior to the team's game against the New York Yankees.

Willingham sat out Minnesota's 9-8 loss to Kansas City on Sunday with soreness
in his left knee, then was scratched from the lineup before Monday's series
opener with the Yankees after experiencing increased discomfort. An MRI
performed Tuesday revealed a tear of his medial meniscus as well as a bone
bruise.

The veteran slugger set career bests with 35 home runs and 110 RBI last
season, his first with Minnesota, and tops the team with 10 homers to go along
with 37 RBI midway through the 2013 campaign. Willingham is batting just .224
on the year, however, after hitting .260 in 2012.

Hicks has missed the Twins' last 19 contests with a strained left hamstring
and was batting only .179 with six homers and 19 RBI in 55 games played prior
to landing on the DL on June 10. The 23-year-old switch hitter just completed
a six-game rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester in which he went 4-for-21
with two walks.